Illustrated tornado from the book The Wizard of Oz
© W. R. Wright, Piglet Press Inc. (www.halcyon.com/piglet/)
Common Tornado Myths
Has someone ever told you to open your windows during a tornado? Or has
someone ever told you that you don't have to worry about tornadoes
because the place where you live is protected? These are two of the most
common myths about tornadoes and neither of them are true.
Scientists once thought houses exploded when a tornado passed over
because of the really low
pressure in the tornado. They figured that the
higher pressure in the house would knock down the walls trying to get
out. So they said you should open your windows to equalize the
pressure. It turns out that more damage can be done by opening the
windows.
Some people thought that tornadoes couldn't cross mountains or rivers.
This is true for small tornadoes, but the strong ones--the ones which
cause the most destruction--can cross almost anything.
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